Dragon Ball Z: Prince of Nothing
by Smashking117
Summary: In an alternate take on the "Vegeta lands on Earth instead of Goku" concept, Vegeta lands outside of Capsule Corporation after the destruction of his home planet and retains his canon age (5yrs old at the start). As he comes to terms with losing everything he has ever known, the former prince must find something to give his life new meaning. Massive AU
1. Chapter 1

Prince of Nothing

Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: This story is a non-profit fan project. I don't own Dragon Ball. If I did, _Savior of Demons _would have an anime adaptation by now.**

The meteor impacted one hundred meters outside of West City at 22:13 hours. Dr. Briefs stood at the edge of the crater, dumbfounded by what he saw. The almost perfectly spherical object was only around two meters in diameter. It sat in a crater of only twenty some meter diameter. Taking in the scene, his mind flooded with thoughts. _Why didn't it break apart in the atmosphere? What kind of meteor is spherical? It's almost completely intact, and the crater is way too small, and… _He decided to put aside what didn't make any sense and get a better look at this thing.

Despite the cries of the retrieval team telling him that it was unsafe, the scientist slid into the crater. As he got closer, waves of confusion turned to excitement, only to be washed away by fear in half a second. The 'meteor' was obviously man-made, with its polished metal surface and strange emblem below the small, circular window. _The astronomy crew said the spectrographic analysis of its material was unlike anything that had been observed before._ There was only one thing this could be, and the doctor could feel his knees quivering as the realization hit him.

_This is it: first contact._ The window meant that this ship had an occupant. However, the impact was over thirty minutes ago, and it hadn't opened. _Is the pilot injured _‒_or worse, dead? What if more of its kind come to earth looking for it? Initiating first contact by delivering a corpse probably wouldn't end well. _With that grim thought, Dr. Briefs approached the window and peered through. What he saw was somehow more astonishing than everything else he had seen today. Inside was a child.

* * *

Vegeta lost himself as he floated within the nothingness. Colors slowly came to his eyes: then black, then red, then black again. Incoherency plagued his mind in its struggle to understand what was happening. Air seemed to surround him from all sides, as though gravity had lost its touch. This could not be so, however, as his heightened senses could feel a slight tug pulling him downward. _Am I… dead?_

His eyes shot open. The blanket was blasted across the room from the sheer wind pressure jolting into a crouch had formed. _A bed?_ Scanning the room, the Saiyan noticed that it was like nothing he had seen before. The rectangular room was plain, the bed's headboard centered against one wall. Lacy white curtains allowed the sun's rays to grace the bed from across the room. Armored chest plate, boots, and cape were all arranged on a small table to the right of the bed. Behind this table was a strange-looking rectangular indention in the wall which seemed to be the door. He concluded that he had been brought here by the locals ‒primitives, based on the architecture.

He hurriedly threw on his armor and approached the alien door, bumping into it when it didn't open automatically. _So, the locals intended to hold me prisoner? They have _no _idea who they're dealing with. _ With a smirk, Vegeta threw a punch that sent the door flying off its hinges. _Hah, it'll take more than that to hold the prince of all Sai_‒ An earthy, smoky aroma ‒unmistakably meat‒ overwhelmed him, halting his train of thought. _Wait, what is that smell?_

* * *

As Dr. Briefs watched his wife gingerly plate the freshly made bacon for breakfast, he considered the decisions he had made last night. _Should I have turned the child over to the police? No, they would have doubtless performed some kind of torturous experiments on him. Although, Perhaps I shouldn't assume that the alien is even a child at all; maybe his species just naturally looks like children? _The doctor's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of boots crashing into the kitchen table.

The boy was crouched on top of the table, devouring the spread like a wild animal. Food enough for four people was gone in seconds. _How can he eat so much so quickly?_ Dr. Briefs decided to attempt some kind of interaction. Trying to step forward, his vision flashed white as heat whizzed past one ear. The alien was standing straight up on the table with his palm outstretched towards the scientist. First the the man noticed the sunlight pouring in, then the birds' chirping. Dr. Briefs fought the urge to turn his head and confirm his suspicion of a hole opening through the wall; he wouldn't dare take his eyes off the extraterrestrial. It had happened so fast the the scientist hadn't even seen it, and realization that made him quake with terror.

"Who are you? Where am I?" the alien demanded answers.

"Y-y-you… you're speaking my…" was all Dr. Briefs could get out.

"Answer me!"

"M-my name is Dr. Briefs. This is the planet Earth."

"Where's my ship?"

"It's in my garage. B-but I don't know if‒ "

"Take me to it."

"But‒"

"Now!"

* * *

At last, the weakling decided to lead Vegeta to his ship. _Now, I can get off this mudball of a planet and… _The memories hit like one of his father's punches. Suddenly, his stomach twisted, weakening his balance momentarily. Before he had time to think, the primitive spoke up.

"There it is. But, I warn you, it's not in the best condition." The prince entered a large room that seemed to have some kind of wheeled vehicles inside of it. Where the door's attachment had been, shards of metal jutted outwards at odd angles, threatening to cut and scratch any unsuspecting victim who wandered too close. The body of the pod was littered with dents and scratches, with dirt settled into any small crevice.

"What have you done?" he admonished the vehicle's state.

"I-i-i-it didn't seem to have any power!" the stupid, ship-destroying barbarian placated, "I tried pressing the buttons on the outside, but nothing happened! I had to use a crane to pry the door open! How else could I have gotten you out?"

No power? Vegeta stuck his head into the pod and turned to the fuel gauge, which read 'empty.' "No!" He yelled as he slammed his fist onto the seat. "She only put in enough fuel for one way? Why? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

* * *

Tremors erupted along the ground as the boy struck the floor in frustration. How had the past few hours of Dr. Briefs' life been such a roller-coaster? One moment, he was on the verge of one of mankind's most important discoveries. Then, he was helping a lost, potentially injured child. At this moment, he was afraid for his life because that same alien was apparently capable of shooting lasers and causing miniature earthquakes with his bare hands. Not only that, but this terrifying being had now discovered that he was stranded on this planet. What would he do now? A full minute passed in which they were both statues in their respective positions.

Eventually, the silence was broken by the unmistakable sound of a stomach growling. The alien stood, turned to the doctor, and muttered, "I need more food." His tone was lower, more somber than Dr. Briefs had yet heard from him, and his speech seemed to slur slightly.

"R-Right this way." He stammered as he led his apparent new houseguest back to the kitchen. Along the way, he noticed that the child was wobbling a bit as he walked. _Maybe he isn't fully recovered after all._

As before, the boy inhaled any food presented to him with alarming speed. The inventor finally built up the courage to ask, "What's your name?" The child paused briefly.

"Why do you care? You tried to hold me prisoner before."

"What?"

"Your door wouldn't open when I walked towards it."

"Uhhh… Our doors don't open automatically. You have to twist the knob to open it."

The boy sighed, "This planet really is backwater, isn't it?" After a few seconds of silence, Dr. Briefs tried again, "so, your uh…" Suddenly, a new kind of panic gripped the inventor as he heard tiny footsteps coming down the stairs.

* * *

"Woah, are you the alien? Ooooh, and you have a tail! That's so cool! My name's Bulma. What's your name? Where are you from? Do all of your people have tails? Do‒"

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP?!" Vegeta yelled as he rose from his seat, unable to take this inquisitorial onslaught. "I am Vegeta, the prince of all Saiyans; and I will not be addressed in such a disrespectful manner!"

At long last, that seemed to shut the earthlings up. It was bad enough he had to deal with this blasted headache pulsing through his temples. All of a sudden, his stomach did flips, and stomach acid, mixed with the remnants of bacon from earlier, squelched onto the table.

"Oh my gosh! Are you ok?" The annoying blue-haired girl gasped.

"I d-don't need your p-pity." Vegeta struggled to reply.

"I thought this might happen," the scientist chimed in, "You were unconscious when we found you. Then the slurred speech, the wobbling, and now this."

"I know what a concussion is ‒it's not my first!" Vegeta fumed, "I need one of your beds."

"Sure, we've got lots of them," the earth child piped up.

"Uh, just until your people come and get you," the old man hurriedly added. "I mean, if you're a Prince, they're not just going to leave you here."

Vegeta went numb as he coldly answered, "They're dead."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"I mean my planet is gone, and I'm the last of my kind!"

* * *

Bulma wanted to console him, but the raging waves of turmoil in Vegeta's eyes kept her silent. Even at four years old, she knew what orphans were. She was significantly more intelligent than other kids her age, and she had access to the internet. The world outside her mansion wasn't a nice place. Still, that knowledge couldn't prepare her to see the agony behind his eyes. The silence only lasted five seconds, but it felt like an eternity.

"The beds?" Vegeta piped up.

"Right-Right, up the stairs behind you. Every room up there is a guest room, just pick one." Her father replied.

The prince disappeared in an instant. A dust cloud left extending up the stairs was the only evidence of what had happened. Another uncomfortable silence lingered between Bulma and her father, before she finally piped up, "we should let him stay here."

Dr. Briefs gave her a look that she had never seen on him before ‒one of fear. "W-we can't."

"What!" She cried out in anger, "you heard him; he has nowhere else to go!"

At this, her father's face became more sorrowful as he pointed to the hole in the kitchen wall. "Bulma, he was able to do that with his bare hands. It's not safe to keep him here," he stated in a low voice.

Bulma remained unfazed, "we're offering free food and a bed. He can't say no to that."

"I… I don't know."

"When he wakes up, if he wants to kill us, he will. This way, there's a chance he won't."

"... You're too young to be talking like that."

"Then you shouldn't have passed your smarts onto me."

Her father contemplated for a moment before relenting, "all right, we'll try it your way."

Satisfied, the girl grinned. She always had a natural talent for getting what she wanted.

* * *

Vegeta was still in bed. _How long has it been? Hours? Days? Weeks?_ He didn't know and didn't care. Right now, there was nothing except him and this bed. Here, there was no Frieza, no PTO, no planet Earth. Maybe he could just stay here, forever. _What am I doing here? I'm a saiyan; I can't just lie here wallowing in self-pity!_ With that, Vegeta stood up. _But, with my ship in that condition… _At that moment, his stomach began growling.

He marched towards the door with newfound determination, ready to shatter its hinges.

'_Our doors don't open automatically. You have to twist the knob to open it.'_ His host's words came to mind. Inspecting the door more closely, he found an odd looking lever near one of the edges. Slowly, he gripped the cold metal, twisting it downwards until the door seemed to open outwards on its own as it was pushed by his weight. _So, that's how it works._ Storing that information in his brain for later, Vegeta made his way down the stairs and arrived in the area from before.

Disappointingly, no one was there. To his left, he saw the hole he had blown through the wall. To the right, was another door. He carefully gripped the odd metal handle, scrutinizing it to make sure it opened the same as the other. Behind the obstacle, he spotted the annoying blue-haired girl looking at a rectangular box with images of light dancing and flickering around on its surface. Clearly, it was some kind of entertainment device. _This must be a truly dull world if its entertainment is just sitting around staring at something. _

"Earth girl, I need food. Get me some." He commanded the lower life form.

She jolted in surprise. "Oh, you're awake!" Now, she was smiling, like she was talking to nobody special. "Are you feeling any better?"

_The nerve of this weakling! _ Vegeta realized he would have to show this ignorant peasant her place. He charged a ki blast in his hand and pointed it towards her. "Food, now." He growled.

To his surprise, the girl began laughing. "You know, you're kinda stupid. Go ahead, try it. Just don't expect to get anything from anyone else who lives here. The only reason anybody's still here is because I wanted to help you. Without me, they have no reason to do anything for you."

After getting over his initial shock, Vegeta scoffed. "You think I require anything from you people? I could get anyone I want to do anything for me. Your planet has one of the lowest average battle powers in the cosmos. If I wanted to conquer this planet, no one could stop me!"

Even still, the earthling was smiling. "You said _average_ battle power? That's a dangerous assumption. If everyone but one person has a low battle power, then the average would be low, but that one person could be the one that could stop you. You don't know anything about our planet. How about this? There's a tournament that's held every five years. It's called the _Greatest Under Heaven Tournament_. The best fighters in the world gather to show off their skills. How about you just stay with us until next one. If you win, then you'll know that you don't need us, and you can take over the world or whatever."

As much as Vegeta wanted to vaporize this obnoxious lower life form that didn't know her place, he couldn't deny that what she had said actually made sense. _This _Greatest Under Heaven Tournament _sounds interesting. _He dissipated the blast and lowered his arm. "Fine, I'll play your little game." His stomach growled again. "I still need food." The girl smiled again, only this time it was more of a smirk. "Sure thing."

* * *

**Well, you read till the end. So, welcome to my first fanfic. This project came about because I read _Dragon Ball Sai_ and was annoyed that the author felt like he had to screw up continuity by de-aging Vegeta to make the story work. That got me thinking about what a more canon-compliant version would look like. The problem I ran into is that I couldn't find a way to get a five-year-old Vegeta to form a meaningful connection with Grampa Gohan, and would therefore just kill everyone and take over the planet. Finally, I thought, _does he have to land on Mount Paozu_? And then, the idea to have him land at Capsule Corp. hit me like a ton of bricks. So, here we are; I hope you like it. Be sure to leave a review, because I'm not perfect and I need to know how the story could be improved. Be on the lookout for plot holes, OOC moments, and contradictions to continuity. I'm not above changing past chapters if mistakes like that are pointed out. Also, if you like the fic, I guess you could leave a positive review or whatever. Also, I'm going to suggest theme music for different parts of the story, because that's fun. The theme song for now is _Speed of Light_ by _Stratovarius_. So, that's it from me. See you next chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

Prince of Nothing

Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: This story is a non-profit fan project. I don't own Dragon Ball. If I did, I could afford the S.H. Figurearts Shenron Figure. Seriously, have you seen that thing? It's amazing!**

* * *

**April 10, Age 738**

_I can't believe that worked_. Bulma Briefs had somehow managed to convince the newly arrived alien prince, Vegeta, to not kill everyone and take over the planet. Underestimating his intellect, she had assumed that food and shelter would be enough to restrain him. Vegeta looked to be around the same age, and most her age were barely aware of more than their basic needs. Intriguingly, however, this extraterrestrial clearly understood how to get what he wanted, as did Bulma. Intelligence-wise, the female prodigy had always viewed other kids as imbeciles, ignorant of even the very basic rules of society. An electric wave of curiousity sparked and ricocheted throughout the young girl as she internalized the idea of one of her peers being comparable to her in mental ability. _Thank Kami I remembered about that ad for the tournament… _

Reuniting mind and body once again, Bulma found herself studying the way Vegeta wolfed down yesterday's leftovers. _I guess his species has a really high basal metabolic rate?_ Her eyes wandered to the poorly, temporarily patched hole in the kitchen wall. _Maybe that, whatever it is, takes a lot of energy. _

"So, when is this tournament supposed to be held?" a voice jolted the girl out of her thoughts.

"Uh… it's held on years that are multiples of five, so the next must be two years from now."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed, "that doesn't tell me anything," he grumbled in response.

Bulma was puzzled for a moment, then the realization hit, "oh, your planet would orbit differently. Right."

"So, can you answer me or not?" Vegeta's tone was increasingly indignant.

"Hang on, I'm thinking."

Her contemplation was again interrupted, this time by the arrival of her father, "Oh… uh… good morning, Bulma… Vegeta." The man wavered uneasily, passing his weight back and forth between his legs.

"Hey Dad, perfect timing. I was trying to tell Vegeta when this martial arts tournament is gonna be held, but we measure time differently." Bulma recounted swiftly.

"Right, so you need a common reference to convert between his years and ours. Ok…" Brows furrowed a moment as the scientist ran the information through his mind, "the speed of light is a constant. Could Vegeta point out his solar system on a star chart?"

Vegeta sat up, crossing his arms impatiently. "I don't know enough about your sky. My ship has a nav-computer, if it had fuel…" the prince scowled.

"Well, I could probably hook it up to our local power grid. The computer must receive electricity at some point. It'll just be getting it from us instead of the fuel it doesn't have. I'll take a look at it; it'll probably take a couple days to set it up."

"All right! Thanks dad!" Bulma piped up, glad that this problem could be resolved quickly.

"Sure thing. So, you said this was for a martial arts tournament?"

"Yeah, I'll tell you the whole story later."

"Sure," Doctor Briefs glanced between the two children, "… Uh, yeah. See you later."

The man exited the kitchen without turning his back. Bulma turned to Vegeta, "So… what now?"

The Saiyan looked at her for a moment, then walked to the middle of the kitchen, "I guess I'll train for this tournament of yours." Without warning, he dropped into doing push ups, his tail reflexively curling around his waist.

"You're just gonna do it right here?" Asked a flabbergasted Bulma.

"Why not?" He continued to do push ups as he was talking.

"Uh, I guess you can. Usually, if people want to exercise they go to a gym."

"What's a gym?"

"A place where they have equipment for training, like weights and stuff."

Vegeta scoffed, "Earth weights wouldn't be enough for me."

Bulma thought back to the hole in the kitchen wall, "You're probably right."

About a minute passed of Bulma staring at Vegeta while he trained. _ Good Kami, how many push ups can he do? _ Another minute passed, then another._ Ok, this is really boring._ "You're doing a lot of push ups." Silence. "Are you ever gonna get tired?"

"Eventually."

_Well, that was something_. "Do you do anything for fun?"

Vegeta looked up with a confused look on his face. "Fun?"

"Yeah, you know? What do you do when you're not eating or training?"

"... I sleep"

_Wow… _Bulma couldn't believe what she was hearing. She thought back to when she first tried to do a push up. Just one made her feel like she was going to have a heart attack. _How could anyone do nothing but exercise all day? What kind of life is that?_ Before she could stop herself, curiosity took over.

"Do all Saiyans live like that?"

Vegeta paused mid-plank, his eyes looking straight through the floor. He took a moment before answering, "No, most children my age were already out working for that _kretak_, Frieza."

"What's a… cray-talk?"

Resuming his push ups, Vegeta glanced up at her dubiously. "That didn't translate, huh? It's someone you seek vengeance upon for hurting your comrades."

Bulma's eyes widened as the realization hit her. "So, Frieza is-"

"The man who destroyed my planet, yes!" Vegeta shouted. His glaring eyes pierced her heart, giving her a sharp painful sensation in her chest.

A tempestuous storm of emotions ranged inside Bulma: fear, pity, sorrow, and above all, regret. "I'm sorry," she whispered, unknowing of what else to do.

Vegeta forced himself to focus on his push ups, scowling painfully at the floor, "I don't need your sympathy. Why are you even talking to me? I'm trying to train. Go bother someone else."

A moment of silence passed, within which Bulma desperately wanted to console him. Finding no words, and terrified of hurting him any further, she fled soundlessly into the living room. Eyes stinging with tears that freely flowed down her cheeks, her mind forced her to watch the scene over and over again. Each time more painful than the last, she begged herself to calm. Her eyes fell closed, and she noticed she was shaking lightly. _I want to know more about him… But if this is the price…_

* * *

**April 12, Age 738**

"I really must say, this is an incredible computer system! I had to rewire half the thing just to make it compatible with our equipment." the scientist lightly boasted, but the prince was more focused on figuring out when the tournament would be.

The computer came to life noiselessly and displayed a local star chart with a sidebar displaying two columns of alien markings.

Vegeta turned to the doctor, "What do you need?" He growled, taking a small amount of pleasure in the weakling's trembling.

"I uh… well… you measure interstellar distances by how fast light travels, right?" The human managed to stammer out.

"Right, it's based off of PTO Standard Years." Vegeta replied, wondering where he was going with this.

"Ok, then I just need to know the distance in your light years from our planet to another astronomical object." The doctor replied, appearing to gain more confidence.

"Which one?"

"The closest one."

Vegeta rapidly tapped on the touch screen in front of him until it zoomed in on a rather unremarkable trinary star system 7.567 PTO Standard Light Years away.

The scientist seemed to enter the information into a small device in his hand, "well, since that system, Alpha Centauri, is 4.367 of our light years away, there must be a little over one and a half of your years in ours."

Vegeta stared at him as if expecting something. The annoying blue haired girl that he had forgotten was even here piped up. "That means that the tournament is something like three-and-a-half of your years away."

_Three-and-a-half years?_ _I have to spend three-and-a-half years with these flies? _A sinking feeling filled the Saiyan's stomach. Being a royal, the prince was bound by his word. To uphold his honor and pride, he had to choice but to suffer through it. _Surely this will be nothing for former future ruler of the greatest, proudest warrior race in galactic history!_

* * *

**April 19, Age 738**

The child missed the various tutorings and trainings he'd had back home, in the palace. Even though he'd protest and fight against it, it did provide one particular advantage: variety. For the past week, the prince had done nothing but eat, sleep, and train; it was starting to get to him. He groaned as he got up from the situps he'd been doing. He desperately needed something new. Pondering what he could possibly do, his mind turned to that blue haired girl.

Not entirely sure why his mind felt drawn to her, he began to scrutinize their previous interaction. She had been keeping her distance since that last conversation. As loathe as he was to admit it, he found himself preferring the seething rage that accompanied her to the numbness currently enveloping him. With that resolution in mind, he began to search the building.

Vegeta found her in that large room with the entertainment device and padded pieces of furniture. She was lying on her side on one of the longer pieces, cheek smushed up against the protruding side. Her eyes seemed glazed over with boredom. Upon hearing his footsteps, the girl quickly perked up, sapphire irises sparkling through curiously opened eyes.

"Oh, hi Vegeta. What are you doing here?"

Just then, he realized that he hadn't thought of a plausible explanation for why he wanted to see her. To be honest with himself, though, even he wasn't quite sure of the answer. He couldn't tell her the truth; that would be admitting that he needed something from her. _How could I let myself sink so low as to need interaction with an inferior life form such as this? No, I'm stronger than this- _

"You're bored aren't you?"

_Gah! It's too late, she can already see how pathetic this is. How can she be so perceptive?_

"I'm kinda bored too. Maybe we could find something to do together."

Vegeta looked straight at her, dumbfounded. There wasn't a trace of judgement, dismissal, or pity. She just looked eager. It was unsettling. _What's her game?_

"Oh, I know! We could watch a movie. You ever seen a movie before?" He opened his mouth to reply, but thought better of it and shook his head instead.

"Well, a movie is kind of like a story that you watch. They're shown on that thing there. It's called a tv." The girl pointed at the rectangular entertainment device.

Vegeta remembered how it was showing images earlier, "so, it displays images of the… story's… events." He replied to confirm his suspicion.

"Yeah… you never had anything like this?" Somehow, he still couldn't detect any pity in her voice. Eyes narrowed at her, the prince weighed the probablity of her manipulating him. She had shown herself to be somewhat intelligent in their previous interactions.

The prince decided to play along, "no, the closest thing we ever had were the storytellers." The girl was clearly confused, so he continued, "saiyans whose occupation was to recite the history of my people."

She appeared rather shocked by this. "Recite? So, they just told the stories? Didn't they write anything down?" The girl apparently thought the saiyans were morons.

"They did, eventually. The profession died out not long after that."

"Uh-huh… so what were those stories like?" There was that annoying curiosity again. Still, for some reason he couldn't identify, Vegeta was in a good mood.

"They told of the conquests of the greatest warriors in our history." The human appeared to realize something.

"Were the saiyans all warriors?"

The swell of pride almost caused Vegeta to smile, "Most were. The saiyans were a warrior race. And proud of it."

The survivor's heart swelled with a prideful morosity he had not felt before. As Vegeta smirked boastfully, Bulma nodded superficial understanding.

The girl piped up again, "I think I know a movie you'll like." Her face bore an unsettling smirk. _Argh—! I knew I shouldn't have spoken to her!_

She got up and opened a drawer situated inside the object the tv was resting upon. The human grabbed what appeared to be some kind of containers and threw them onto the ground. Curious, Vegeta approached for a closer look and noticed her opening a false bottom in the drawer.

Seeing his interest, she explained, "this is where my parents keep the movies they say I'm not supposed to watch. They don't know I know where it is. I'd like to keep it that way."

Returning her focus to the drawer, she retrieved a container that had an image of a human man wearing a bronze helmet and holding a shield and spear in some kind of combat stance. Without delay, she obtained a small disc from the container and inserted it into the side of a slender rectanglular box near the tv.

The movie's events followed a king whose nation, 'Sparta', had received a threat of conquest from a neighboring empire. After his nation's council refused to lend support to his plan of a preemptive strike, the king marched into battle regardless with a force of only three hundred men. Holding off the invading force for two days, his troops were surrounded after a traitor from his own nation leaked information regarding the terrain to the enemy. Rather than surrender, the king and his army fought to the last man.

Vegeta sat in stunned silence. These humans were a far cry from the lazy, sentimental fools he had encountered so far. They acted almost like saiyans.

"Where can I find this group of humans?" He asked with genuine interest.

"Oh, they don't exist anymore. This happened thousands of years ago. Their culture pretty much disappeared."

_Well that was disappointing_,"Hmph, maybe if they had survived, your species could have made something of themselves."

The girl looked a bit solemn. "We had many warrior cultures in our history. But their weapons eventually got so powerful that they would destroy the earth if they were ever used. At that point, war wasn't really an option anymore. Although some people think maybe they _were _used."

Now it was Vegeta's turn to be curious. "What are you talking about?"

"A long time ago —we don't know _exactly _how long, but some kind of disaster happened. It wiped out most of the life on the earth's surface. Thankfully, lots of humans and animals survived by going underground beforehand. At some point, they came back up to the surface. Eventually, one man managed to unite some of the humans that were left and declared himself the king of earth. We've been ruled by a king ever since."

"So, you think this disaster was caused by those weapons you mentioned earlier?"

"It could have been. Or it could have been a meteor, or something else. It must have been something they knew about before it happened. Otherwise there wouldn't be anyone left."

"Your cities seem remarkably intact despite your so called disaster."

"They were built almost immediately after the first king took over. This year is called Age 738, because that's how long it's been since then."

Vegeta would never admit it, but he was somewhat impressed at this species' ability to bounce back from that kind of catastrophe in fewer than a thousand years. He began to wonder if any other Saiyans managed to foresee the coming danger and survive.

Suddenly, a look of panic appeared on the girl's face when she heard a voice in the distance, "Bulma, we're home."

"Oh geez, Vegeta you have to help me put this stuff back! I'll be in huge trouble if they see this. Please!" She gestured to the movie containers scattered across the ground.

The air whooshed around the room in a whirlwind of displacement. As the air settled, Bulma found the room in perfect condition. Realizing exactly what he'd done, Vegeta scrutinized his motives. _What do I care if this human's parents take issue with her? This is not my problem!_ Pleasure snuck its way into the Saiyan's heart as the earthling gaped, confusedly looking around the room.

"Wow, that was amazing!" Now she bore was awe, and that brought Vegeta no small amount of pride.

Straightfaced, he explained his actions away, "Don't get the wrong idea. You entertained me when I was bored, and I returned the favor. We're even."

Annoyingly, she was still smiling, regardless. "Sure, thanks anyway. It was nice talking to you, Vegeta."

He glanced, briefly in her direction. Conflicted, he felt little anger towards her.

"Hmph, whatever," the prince grumbled and walked back to his room.

* * *

**Smashking117: Well, here it is. Another chapter in half a month; we're making great time! Also, there are people actually following this thing. It's kind of overwhelming, knowing that there are people out there who actually like what we've written. I hope I won't let you guys down. Be sure to leave a review, so I can continue to improve as a writer and bring you the kind of content you'll enjoy. And, to everyone who has favorited and followed this story, thank you so much! It means a lot! Well, that's it for now. See you next chapter!**

**LeoMatryoshka26: Hey, editor/co-writer Leo here. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter and please, give a holler to anything you like or anything you don't like. As my brother said above: feedback is important!**


	3. Chapter 3

Prince of Nothing

Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: This story is a non-profit fan project. I don't own Dragon Ball. If I did, I'd be able to work on this as much as I want and this chapter wouldn't be so friggin late!**

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**April 26, Age 738**

"You are one _ugly_ motherfucker," declared the inhumanly muscular Austrian as he regarded the newly unmasked alien in abject horror.

What was supposed to be a routine mission in the jungles of South America had turned into a nightmare as the creature before him slaughtered his comrades for no greater purpose than sport. Now, it was coming for him. However, he would not resign himself to this fate without a fight. After learning to conceal himself from the hunter's infrared vision, and rendering its technology useless with an elaborate series of booby traps, the man would decide his future in a final hand-to-hand duel. Despite these happenings on the television, Bulma Briefs was far more interested in the reactions of the former alien prince on the other side of the couch.

Vegeta's eyes were fixed on the screen as the brutal battle unfolded. At last, the main character emerged victorious, but not before his opponent activated a beeping device on its arm that was clearly a timed explosive.

"Hah, that's it! If you can't defeat the enemy, take him to hell with you!" Vegeta shouted, leaping out of his seated position and pointing a triumphant finger at the screen.

He'd been rooting for the villain the entire movie. _I didn't really think this through._ Mused Bulma. The film concluded with the protagonist barely escaping the explosion.

"So, what'd you think?" Inquired the heiress.

Vegeta crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes in a light smirk, "It was amusing enough. Hunting humans for sport… not a bad idea. I might take that up after I win your pathetic tournament."

_Yeah, I _really _didn't think this through. Still, I can get out of this._ "Careful, a human like the one in the movie might sneak up on you." She pointed out, grinning confidently.

"Please, like I'd be defeated by sharp sticks and rocks."

"That's not the point. Humans might not be strong, but we're smart. If people see you as a threat, then someday, someone really smart will find a way to either bring you down to our level, or bring people up to yours."

Vegeta closed his eyes and held a look that almost appeared somber. "Sometimes the enemy is just too powerful." He muttered, his voice only barely audible.

A brief moment of silence filled the room before Bulma decided to break it. "Speaking of powerful, you're really starting to smell, Vegeta."

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Above the expanse of skyscrapers, the cheerful sky flittered with a few birds. Weather being as good as it was, people lazily roamed the streets, wandering from shop to shop.

"Oh come _on_, Vegeta, you can't just live in that armor!"

"And why not? I'm perfectly happy wearing it."

"'Cause it's gotta get washed sometime."

The prince grumbled along, following his escort's far-too-excited footsteps. Bulma toted a shopping bag of some nondescript athletic clothing that Vegeta had found amenable. Despite his outward disposition of disinterest, he studied the alien cityscape intently, storing away any information that might possibly be useful to him in the future.

A few flashing lights caught the Saiyan's attention. A large lustrous paper hung from the inside of one window, adorned with a figure clad in tattered white gi which barely concealed his bulging muscles. An unmistakable fighting stance led Vegeta's eyes from the red wristband, up along the character's arm and to his intense stare, trailing off with the scarlet fabric of his headband floating to the side.

"What's that?"

"Hm?" Bulma followed his line of sight, "Oh, that? It's an arcade. It's somewhere people go to play video games and hang out and stuff."

Silenced by his curiosity, Bulma decided against redirecting Vegeta as he made his way towards the new interest. For a moment they were both blinded upon entering, but their eyes swiftly adjusted to the dim fluorescent lights. Vegeta was stunned by the armies of slanted boxes leaning backwards, inviting him to peer over their broad, glowing screens. Approaching the closest and most descript machine, the prince noticed printed copies of the buttons protruding from the console in various patterns along the sides of the large LEDs. His human entourage said something he couldn't pay attention to as he took in the glorious fight scenes playing out in the game's idle screen.

Realizing the girl's earlier flaw, he smirked, "I thought you said warrior cultures weren't around on this planet anymore."

She blinked blankly, taking a pause to realize what the alien was getting at, "Heh… I guess we do still glorify warriors a bit —nothing I'd call a 'warrior culture' though."

He turned his intense black irises to meet hers, "You have this 'zeni', yes? I'd like to try this Earth game."

Intense minutes passed, wherein which Vegeta rapidly pressed the keys on the machine, growling lowly when he'd typed the combination too quickly for the processor to handle. The challenge consumed him, and he paused only briefly to demand another coin from Bulma. Seeing him enjoying this in his own way and genuinely entertained by his quick learning, the human happily obliged. Neither of the two children took note of how long the moment lasted, the alien immersed in digital combat, and the earthling fixated on her companion's behavior. However, time took note of them, and an accusing voice broke the otherwise comfortable silence that rested between two virtual fights.

"Haven't you had enough, game hog?"

"I'll stay as long as I please, weakling," the prince of Saiyans snapped, not bothering to take his eyes from the screen.

Bulma instinctively backed away from the imposing thirteen year old. Ugly, large, and round he stood brooding, at least twice Vegeta's height and three times his weight. He stood far too close, with his arms crossed, and scowled down at the extraterrestrial.

"Didn't your mom ever teach you respect, brat?"

The young girl took a few more steps back, but this time not away from the new approacher. A black inferno burst into flame behind Vegeta's eyes, burning holes through the foolish human as the younger boy slowly turned his head. Wordlessly, his feet left the ground as he hovered. His white gloves closed around the esophagus of the taller boy. Held ten inches off the ground, by his neck, the obese teenager's hands flew to his throat, trying to pry the small aggressor off. Through the glove, Vegeta could feel the child's pulse on either side of the windpipe. _It would be so easy to end him._

"Hey! You didn't forget about our agreement did you?" Bulma accosted the fuming alien.

"I agreed not to kill you or your family; I have no obligation to this filth!" He shouted, not taking his eyes off his victim.

"Hey, come on! If you hurt him, it's gonna make things harder for us. Everyone can see that you know me!"

He growled a moment, his grip tightening, taking an ounce of pleasure in his victim's squirming. Before one could blink, he had released the human and was storming out. Bulma scrambled to catch up. Tense silence muted their speech until they reached home.

Every neuron was fully dedicated to forming her next sentences. The weight of the situation sunk her stomach and slumped her shoulders. Reality around her disappeared. A thought erupted into existence. _Maybe Dad was right. _A cocky grin appeared before her mind's eye. _No. I can't give up on him. He's just a kid like me… He's probably just lashing out because of everything that's happened to him._

Something occurred to her_. He comes from a warrior race, he probably just doesn't know any better._ Her goal became apparent: to teach Vegeta how humans interact.

_Then again…_ Rubble that used to be the city blazed. Capsule Corp's heir forced the image out of her mind. _I'll make sure that doesn't happen._ A new determination welled up inside her, challenging the crushing weight on her shoulders.

Bulma pressed her hand against the outline on the scanner. The surface was cold compared to the warm outside air, but this didn't begin to make a dent in her busy thoughts. As she shut the door behind her, she prepared to speak.

"Vegeta, listen. I know you have a way you're used to doing things, but-"

"But what? You're going to try to dictate to me how to treat your inferior species? You'd best learn your place, _human_." Venom seeped out of the last word as he bared his teeth.

Bulma tried her best to ignore the stinging in her eyes, "I… I thought-"

"You thought what? Because you provided me with some entertainment when I was bored, that makes us _friends_? I could wipe away everything you know with little more than a thought!"

For one moment, the weight vanished. She forgot all that relied on her success. Her lungs powered, "Then do it! Forget the stupid tournament! Just go, take over, kill us all, do whatever you want! Have fun being alone for the rest of your life! When you die, no one will care! You'll always be alone, and you know why? Cause you're a monster!" She ran up the stairs before he had a chance to retort.

The former prince was still for an uncounted amount of time. This was the first time he'd won an argument with the annoying blue-haired girl; he should have felt prideful about that. Instead, he felt nothing but void. An emptiness opened inside him when she stormed off, as though shed taken a part of him with her. He ignored this hollowness and scoffed.

"Like I care." He quietly declared, trying to convince himself. For now, there was a more pressing matter that required his attention. _What do I do now_?

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**Smashking117: So, this took a lot longer than I expected. College is like that. Thankfully, I'm about to graduate. I don't expect job hunting to eat up nearly as much of my free time, so the next chapter should arrive much sooner. (Watch me take even longer on this one because I said that). Be sure to review to let us know how we're doing. Also, big thanks to my editor for turning the shit that I spew out into something actually readable, as well as writing chunks of this chapter in my stead, particularly the arcade incident. Well, that's all for now, see you next chapter!**


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